Vibrator motor with self-contained cooling means



United States Patent 3,346,748 VIBRATOR MOTOR WITH SELF-CONTAINED COOLING MEANS Samuel L. McNair, Fullerton, Calilh, assignor to The Songrand Corporation, Kansas City, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Filed June 7, 1965, Ser. No. 461,642

4 Claims. (Cl. 31016) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The use of electromagnets in conjunction with U- shaped spring members which form an integral part of a vibrating device is a recognized expedient for initiating vibratory energy to some type of vibration applicator. These A-C operated electromagnets are invariably of the E-shaped laminated core construction and include an eX- citation coil either around the center leg of the E-shaped core or around each outside leg.

An important object of the instant invention is to provide an efiicient yet inexpensive vibrator motor comprising a novel core having a single leg. The need for laminations as a means for reducing eddy current and hysteresis loss in A-C operated equipment is eliminated due to the novel construction of the entire electromagnet.

A further object of the invention is to provide an electromagnetic vibrating motor including a magnetic core having a single leg and with an excitation coil circumscribing the length of said core and including at one end of said core, a heat conducting vane. The proximity of the core to the vane being such that the vane will successfully convey the heat produced by the coil-core combination away from said combination. As a result the heat conducting vane successfully eliminates overheating of either coil or core.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a novel, simple and economical way to utilize an A-C operated vibrating motor comprising a non-laminated single leg shaped core by conducting the resulting heat away from the core with a metal contacting heat conducting vane mounted transverse to one end of said core. The invention further contemplates the angling of each end of the vane toward the sides of the core to efiectively create a farming of the air surrounding the vibrator motor when in an operating state.

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel electromagnet structure especially adaptable for hand operated massagers, brushes, and other relatively portable vibrating devices.

' Other and further objects of the invention, together with features of novelty appurtenant thereto will appear in the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of the specification and are to be read in conjunction therewith, and in which like reference numerals indicate like parts in the various views:

FIG. 1 is a side view of the electromagnetic vibrating motor mounted within a unitary housing forming a brush, said housing shown in cross-section;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged top view of the electromagnetic vibrator motor shown detached from the mounting of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the electromagnetic vibrator motor shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 44 of FIG. 2 in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawings, reference numeral 10 indicates generally the electromagnetic vibrator motor structure. The motor, for exemplary purposes, is used to transmit vibratory energy to a hair brush constructed in accordance with the disclosure of my application Ser. No. 402,416 for Brush with Self-Locking Detachable Head Portion, filed Oct. 8, 1964, now Patent No. 3,277,509. The details of the brush do not form any part of my present invention and will not further be described here. Reference can be made to the foregoing application should any further information be desired.

The electromagnetic vibrator motor transmits vibratory energy to the housing in a manner similar to that disclosed in the Martin J. Stam Patent No. 3,155,854, for Electromagnetic Vibrator Motor, issued Nov. 3, 1964.

Vibrator motor 10 includes a U-shaped spring 11 and has one leg 12 mounted in cantilever fashion on boss 13 by a set of screws 14. Leg 12 extends from the boss to bend 15 with a second leg 16 extending back generally parallel to leg 12. An electromagnet generally shown at 17 is mounted to the inside of leg 16 by a rivet type connection 18, best seen in FIG. 4. Electromagnet 17 creates an alternating magnetic field which cooperates with each leg and bend 15 to transmit vibratory energy through boss 13 to the unitary housing. The housing comprises upper and lower members 19 and 20 respectively and is vibrated in a manner similar in operation to the Stain patent, supra.

Electromagnet 17 includes core 21 which at one end forms the rivet connection 18 to upper leg 16. For exemplary purposes, I have shown core 21 as cylindrical in shape having a circular cross-section, however it is pointed out that core 21 can be given various sizes and shapes. Core 21 is constructed of a non-laminated magnetically permeable metal and has an exciting coil 22 circumscribing its length. The coil is wound Within plastic bobbin 22a which extends to the cores necked down portion 21a. Coil 22, energized by electric cord 22b from a conventional 60 cycle A-C source, creates an alternating magnetic field which is directed by the shape of cylindrical core 21 thus facilitating the establishment of vibratory energy.

A heat conducting vane 23 is rigidly attached to the necked down portion 21a and extends transversely thereto. Ends 23a and 23b of vane 23 are bent or angled to- Ward the sides of core 21 circumscribed by coil 22.

As the core is not laminated, it is not able to compensate for the eddy current loss accompanying the rapid flux change when energized from a conventional 60 cycle AC voltage source. These losses are dissipated in the form of heat and as such is conducted away from the core by the metal heat conducting vane 23 in contact with core 21. Vane 23 is constructed of any metal which is a good heat conductor and serves as a means to convey the heat away from the innermost portions of the coil-core combination. The bent ends 23a and b form a fan when the electromagnet 17 is vibrating and causes the "ambient air within the housing to circulate and pre vent a heat concentration at the coil-core combination. Thus vane 23 acts both as ameans to convey the heat away from the coil-core combination and as a means to cause circulating air to act in a cooling manner further eliminating hot spots in and around the coil-core.

My invention allows an inexpensive and more compact vibrator motor to be utilized as the size of the core and the accompanying winding can be significantly reduced along with eliminating the substantially more expensive laminated ferrous metal heretofore needed for cores designed to be used with A-C vibrator motors.

From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all of the ends and objects hereinabove set forth together with other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the structure.

, It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is Within the scope of the claims.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a vibrating device having a freely vibrating core and an excitation coil which induces a directional field in said core, said directional field assisting in causing said core to vibrate and to transmit the vibratory energy to said device, the improvement comprising,

said core consisting of a single leg,

said inducing coil circumscribin-g said core, and

a means to conduct heat developed by the cooperating core and coil combination away from said combination.

2. In a vibrating device having a freely vibrating core and an excitation coil which induces a directional field in said core, said directional field assisting in causing said core to vibrate and to transmit the vibratory energy to said device, the improvement comprising,

said core consisting of a single leg of a non-laminated magnetically permeable metal, said inducing coil circumscribing said core, and

a means to conduct heat developed by the cooperating core and coil combination away from said combination.

3. The combination as in claim 2 wherein said heat conducting means includes a heat conducting vane aflixed to one end of said core.

4. The invention in claim 3 wherein said heat conducting vane is constructed of a heat conducting met-a1, said conducting vane connected transversely to said core and having each end of said heat conducting metal bent at an angle thereto, forming a means to cause air to circulate around said coil-core combination during the operation of. said vibrating device.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,682,447 8/1928 Van Osdel 310-29 X 1,837,197 12/1931 Berman 310-16 X 3,083,508 4/1963 Fe-gley et al. 310-16 X 3,155,854 11/1964 Stam 310-29 MILTON O. HIRSHFIELD, Primary Examiner.

D. F. DUGGAN, Assistant Examiner. 

2. IN A VIBRATING DEVICE HAVING A FREELY VIBRATING CORE AND AN EXCITATION COIL WHICH INDUCES A DIRECTIONAL FIELD IN SAID CORE, SAID DIRECTIONAL FIELD ASSISTING IN CAUSING SAID CORE TO VIRBRATE AND TO TRANSMIT THE VIRBRATORY ENERGY TO SAID DEVICE, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING, SAID CORE CONSISTING OF A SINGLE LEG OF A NON-LAMINATED MAGNETICALLY PERMEABLE METAL, SAID INDUCING COIL CIRCUMSCRIBING SAID CORE, AND A MEANS TO CONDUCT HEAT DEVELOPED BY THE COOPERATING CORE AND COIL COMBINATION AWAY FROM SAID COMBINATION. 